Dog Sports

The good weather is arriving and we can now spend more time outside with our dogs. There are many sports you can do outside with your dog. These provide your dog with exercise and mental stimulation.

When you do sports with your dog it helps improve communication between you and your dog and keeps him occupied. A vast majority of behavioral problems with dogs are due to boredom. Some sports can be hard on a dogs joints and muscles or maybe your dog needs to get into shape. Therefore we advise to check with your vet first before your dog participates in any sport activity.

There are several different types of dog sports that your dog can participate in. They include the following:

Agility

This is a fast sport. You and your dog need to be in a good shape to participate. The idea is for your dog to go as fast as she can through an obstacle course. Time is added to the race time for any missed obstacles or if your dog hits an obstacle. You can start by practicing on your own or taking a class. This sport demands a lot of training and focus.

Disc Dog

Have you ever played Frisbee with your dog successfully? If so, this could be the sport for you and your dog. Disc dog has some of the basics of Frisbee but with freestyle tricks. Most of the time it becomes a contact sport since some of the jumps are done with the owners “help.” You can work distance into the freestyle tricks. The sport is a cheap investment as you only need a Frisbee.

Flyball

Flyball is a terrific sport for a dog who loves to chase and retrieve. Teams of dogs are pitted against each other from a start/finish line. They jump over a series of hurdles to a box that then releases a tennis ball for them to catch. It’s a fast paced race and perfect for dogs with excess of energy.

Freestyle

Dancing with your dog is a very difficult exercise. It combines music and obedience. Musical freestyle is a dance routine that you practice with your dog and then perform in front of an audience and judges. You need a lot of training and work, musical freestyle is more about team work than any of the other sports discussed here.

You can try different sports until you find the one that suits you and your dog. The most important thing is that you and your dog spend some quality time together. Also, it’s a great way for both of you to get or stay in shape and enjoy time outside.